Emergency Consolidation of The Lido Secondo Lighthouse in Mogadishu

Mogadishu, capital of the eponymous Sultanate in the 9th-13th centuries, was an important port controlling the Indian Ocean gold trade for many centuries while also serving as an important hub in the medieval Silk Road maritime trade, a commercial crossroad still active today. Thanks to this long history, there continue to be many historical buildings in the old city. The Lido Secondo Lighthouse, a 30-metre high stone tower erected on the edge of Mogadishu’s Old Port during the Italian colonial period in the early 1900s, is a prominent maritime landmark. Since it was abandoned some 20 years ago when trade dried up, the lighthouse has suffered from neglect and of the impact of natural disasters. It experienced a partial collapse in May 2023. The aim of this project was to rescue this symbolic building as a contribution to revitalizing the local economy and developing tourism. The first step was to implement emergency stabilization of the structure, followed by documenting and assessing the damage digitally. The mid-term goal of the program was to help the national authorities prepare a conservation management plan for this site and other local heritage. Finally, a capacity building component for national authorities and other stakeholders was included, so professionals can better identify, preserve, and protect similar cultural heritage sites. 2025. The Mogadishu Secondo-Lido Lighthouse was added to Somalia's Tentative List for UNESCO World Heritage status in 2025.